Former NFL quarterback and ESPN personality gives a heartfelt recommendation to South Carolina Football’s newest assistant.
Dan Orlovsky has given Mike Furrey, the wide receiver coach for South Carolina football, a hearty endorsement even though he only started his position this week.

Written by Kevin Miller on Mar. 3, 2024

Mike Furrey, the wide receivers coach for the South Carolina footbalMike Furrey was appointed as the Gamecocks’ wide receivers coach this week by South Carolina football coach Shane Beamer. This offseason, Beamer hired a receivers coach for the second time. After moving Justin Stepp to tight ends (he later departed to coach receivers at Illinois), he replaced Stepp with James Coley, who later left to take a similar position with the Georgia Bulldogs.l team, during his time as the Chicago Bears’ coach / Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports

With an NFL playing career that included leading the NFC in catches in 2006 with the Detroit Lions, Furrey had an impressive resume. He also coached NFL receivers with the Chicago Bears, Division-I receivers at Marshall, and head coach of two smaller programs, Kentucky Christian and Limestone.v

Furrey is regarded as a strong relationship- and motivation-builder in the coaching world, and his background as a professional player and coach should attest to his technical expertise and the fact that his guidance will actually spur players’ growth.

Furrey, though, received a quite different kind of resounding endorsement on Friday.

Former Detroit Lions quarterback Furrey’s quarterback and current ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky said of the player, “Great coach…great man.” Orlovsky, who spent three seasons in Detroit as Furrey’s teammate, is regarded as one of the most intelligent football analysts in the business today. It’s significant that he endorsed the most recent South Carolina football assistant.

With Orlovsky’s blessing, Gamecock supporters are hoping that Furrey’s wide receiver group will perform better on the field than it has the past two seasons. Though there were clear bright spots in 2022 and 2023 with Juice Wells and Xavier Legette breaking out, both seasons saw some struggles in the receiver room, particularly in 2023.

Coach Beamer believes that Furrey can improve the Gamecocks in two areas: recruiting and player development. However, if Dan Orlovsky is right, Carolina fans will have a lot to look forward to from their newest assistant coach.v

Football in South Carolina: The Gamecocks reveal who will be attending Pro Day
Football in South Carolina revealed the former Gamecocks who will be taking part in its Pro Day.

Football in South Carolina: The Gamecocks reveal who will be attending Pro Day
Football in South Carolina revealed the former Gamecocks who will be taking part in its Pro Day.